


A Brief History of Christmases, According to the United States

by magicandlight



Series: The States [39]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 21:39:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13109025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicandlight/pseuds/magicandlight
Summary: Alfred is startled out of his thought process as Timothy begins to cry after getting stuck in a box.A box he had climbed in all by himself, despite Alfred telling him not to.Children, Alfred thinks exasperatedly as Kendall begins to wail in sympathy.





	A Brief History of Christmases, According to the United States

**1739, or the first family Christmas**

There are sixteen children who are now dependent on Alfred.

And now it's Christmas, and sure Arthur left money, but he'd used up a good portion on supplies like blankets and clothes and food for them.

He's expecting disappointment at the lack of presents.

There isn't any.

(He'd forgotten that the states had come from nothing, so they didn't expect anything.)

**1741, the second family Christmas**

Alfred is more prepared the next year.

It isn't much, but it's something- necessary clothes for all of them, some hair ribbons for the girls, a few books. 

**1776, or the year the tide of the revolution turned**

They spend Christmas shivering.

Shivering as they march barefoot through the snow, leaving behind bloody footprints.

Shivering as they cross the frozen Delaware, launching a surprise attack on the Hessians.

The bitter cold is worth victory, they all agree.

**1783, or the year the Treaty of Paris was signed**

They have celebrated Christmas before, of course, but it has never been like this.

They won their freedom two years earlier, but now it is official.

When Del had hesitantly asked if they could invite Prussia, Alfred had agreed nearly immediately.

**1787, or Cordelia's first Christmas**

Cordelia is something of a novelty.

After all, she's an infant.

The only infant of their kind the states have ever met.

Alfred humors the states, letting them pass the baby around like a hot potato, baby-talking her and trying to make her laugh.

After all, who's he to deny them a chance to hold their baby sister?

**1790, or Timothy's first Christmas**

Timothy joins the family, and suddenly Cordelia isn't the only novelty.

Cordelia is old enough to open her own presents, and delights in ripping and tearing the paper and packaging.

Timothy, however, sits in Alfred's lap, babbling and cooing and giggling.

Eventually, Timothy falls asleep in his lap, nestled within the blue knit blanket Ginny made him, and Cordelia crawls into his lap and does the same, wrapped in her green one.

**1792, or Abby and Kendall's first Christmas**

Ginny and Scott have stolen away Abigail and Kendall over to the rest of the Originals so that they could swoon over them.

Alfred narrows his eyes at the pile of gifts for the two new babies.

The Originals were always so eager to spoil the newer members.

Alfred is startled out of his thought process as Timothy begins to cry after getting stuck in a box.

A box he had climbed in all by himself, despite Alfred telling him not to.

 _Children_ , Alfred thinks exasperatedly as Kendall begins to wail in sympathy.

**1814, or the year the Treaty of Ghent is signed**

The war of 1812 comes to an end.

The total comes to this: two burnt capitals, a couple thousand killed in action, and a blinded sister.

There's a common thought shared amongst all the states as they watch Ginny help Abby open her presents.

_What are we going to do?_

**1851, or the year the Library of Congress burns**

Books burning is a terrible thing, but it does present a unique opportunity to collect books.

The books Sera brings home are too charred for the Government's tastes, but still legible.

That year, a handful of scavenged books joins the presents under the tree.

**1861, or the year we tore our family apart**

The North does not celebrate Christmas.

Eleven states are  _gone_.

Congress has attempted to replace them- five territories in one year.

As if states could be replaced.

As if Kentucky isn't a goddamned mess.

As if West Virginia isn't hollow, a shell of his previous self.

As if Kansas hadn't already lost her innocence, had lost it the second she bled out because that isn't something that survives death, even for them.

As if Maryland hasn't thrown himself into the fighting in a desperate attempt to  _just stop feeling_ , because war is so much easier with your best friend beside you.

The North does not celebrate Christmas that year. They are too busy fighting a war with their wayward siblings and attempting to hold what is left of their family together.   
••••••  
The South does not celebrate Christmas.

Even the Confederacy knows when to stand down, it seems.

Virginia's eyes are hollow, feeling the loss of her twin acutely.

Mississippi and Alabama's statehood anniversaries had passed without a mention.

Tennessee refuses to move, curled around a pendant that does  _not_  bear  _his_  state seal.

The South does not celebrate Christmas that year. They are too busy fighting a war where there are no winners.

**1865, or the year we forcibly stitched our family back together**

Christmas that year is a hastily-applied bandage on a gaping wound. 

It wasn't called the war between brothers for no reason, after all. 

It had been state against state on those battlefields, sibling against sibling. 

That Christmas sees many silent apologies and reconciliations- from the way Tim leans against Kendall like he can't support his own weight to the way Ginny almost shyly offers Wes his gift.

It's a hastily-applied bandage, but it's a start.

**1917, or the year we actually joined the Great War**

The younger states, the ones left behind while their siblings fight a war, make care packages and send them to the front.

The older states spend Christmas in the trenches, miserable.

**1923, or the year of the toy soldiers**

Really, he'd forgotten the toy soldiers until he found them in the closet.

Then the memories had come flooding back.

England giving them to him. England leaving. Finding the originals. Yelling at the originals for messing with them. ("That's not how an army marches, Danny!" "How would you know?" "Yeah, who died and made you boss, Gin?" "Stop stealing my army, Will, that's cheating!" "Is not! It's capturing the enemy!")

He rolls them in his hands and then puts them back in their box.

That year, Lani seems a little bewildered by the set of little wooden soldiers given to her. 

The Originals are staring in shock while the rest of the states seem confused.

Addison leans toward Caleb. "I don't get it, what's up with the soldiers?"

**1941, or the year we joined the Second World War**

Hawaii is the youngest.

(It aches somewhere within all of them, to see another little sister in her bed, injured from an attack on their nation, to set trinkets on another sister's nightstand as proof that she isn't alone, that they were thinking of her, even if they weren't there when she woke up.)

They say their goodbyes and leave for foreign battlefields.

**1946, or the year of the first Nations Christmas party**

"You want to what now?" Del asks.

Confusion is a common theme among the states, but Alfred holds his ground.

"I want to throw a Christmas party for all the nations?"

Cal blinks. "All of them?"

"As many as will come."

The states seem to come to a mutual agreement amongst themselves.

"Alright. We'll help you."

**1968, or the year Apollo 8 orbits the moon**

Alfred shushes the states, even though he doesn't have to.

They've gone quiet, knowing they're watching history.

" _Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth._ "

**1983, or the first year Russia comes to family Christmas**

Some states are suspicious, some are welcoming. 

None are threatening death and destruction, so its better than Russia anticipated. 

A few states had raised eyebrows when America brought him back late on Christmas Eve, but none had questioned his judgment. 

The family atmosphere of Christmas morning makes Russia feel both uncomfortable and inadequate. 

Maybe he should have brought something for a few other states?

America had seemed inordinately pleased by the fact that he had brought a gift for Hawaii as well as Alaska. 

Hawaii was highly intrigued by the little music box, and was currently laying on the floor watching the ballerina figurine spin and listening to it play  _Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy_.

Alaska had profusely thanked him for the matryoshka wolf Russia had given him. 

Most surprising of all, however, were the three gifts the Hungary-looking state had passed to him. 

At first, he had thought it was a mistake, or he was meant to pass it to someone else.

But  _Russia_  was written on all of them. 

The first two are simple, but heartfelt gifts- a photo album of Sasha's life from America and a thick quilt from Virginia. 

Russia inhales sharply at the third, however. 

A bouquet of sunflowers. 

He looks around for the giver- America shakes his head, Virginia says no, and New York flips him off (somehow good-naturedly, which is highly contradictory but also explains a lot about her personality). 

With no other options, he decides to ask Sasha. 

"Oh, sunflowers! Addy must like you."

Or not. Hawaii is leaning over his shoulder to peer into the box. 

"Addy?" Russia questions after a moment of wondering how he can terrify grown nations but not a baby state. 

"Addison. She's Kansas. You know, the Sunflower State. She's over there- no, over there-" Hawaii grabs his head and turns it in the right direction. Russia wonders if the absolute lack of fear and general brash attitude is an American thing. "Between the blonde- that's Anna- and Austin- he's the one with the glasses-"

"The redhead?" Well, more accurately, it's more of a rust color, but whatever. 

"Yep." Hawaii lowers her voice. "Addy's human lie detector. She must have decided you were an honest person."

**1991, or the year the Soviet Union falls**

Sasha is crying. 

The entire United States is utterly silent as Gorbachev resigns. 

Alfred, if anyone glances over, looks almost proud. 

**1992, or the year of the joint custody agreement**

Addy writes it up- after all, that law degree wasn't just for show.

Alfred really wishes he had a picture of Ivan's face when he pulled the papers out of the file folder with a bow. 

Oh, wait, he does because Callie was testing her new camera lens and managed to snap a picture. 

**2010, or the year Alfred went to the pound**

"Aw, look at the cuties~"

Alfred pets the dog through the bars and looks around.

He just can't decide- he can't just pick one and condemn the rest to be put down.  
••••••  
"Alfred. What did you do."

Alfred gives his first state a smile. "Merry Christmas?"

"What did you do, bring the entire pound home?" Del stares in awe and horror at the dogs covering the family room.

The dogs bark happily at her, tails wagging. (58 dogs, Alfred had counted them earlier when he tied the bows on.)

Alfred huffs. "Not the entire pound."

Del raises one eyebrow. 

"A girl wanted to adopt one first."

Del sighs long-sufferingly. 

Del seems to notice the green and red ribbons the dogs have tied around their necks.

"Dear god, Alfred, you never do anything by halves, do you?"  
••••••  
The states seem to accept that the group present this year is a dog and cheerfully pick their pups.

Later, as they open presents, the dogs sit by the state that chose them, tails wagging.


End file.
